Anxiety or something more?

[Preston]

I am a 29 year old female that cannot seem to shake my problems with anxiety.  Last year I was convinced that I had MS due to some symptoms that were bizzare and still seem to bother me (numbness,tremors, tingling, weird sensations down my spine). I was put on zoloft, had a MRI done of my brain (August 2004 - it was clean) and then got pregnant.  I thought that I was doing ok but had my  baby in June and now a lot of weird symptoms have been coming back.  I get strange sensations in my head - almost like my brain is jumping - and equally as strange sensations up and donw my spine (like shivers).  The senations in my head happen as I am falling asleep sometimes but then at other times I am awake in the day.  The other day I could only smell burning throughout the house and this brought on a panic attack as I thought I was having a seizure of some sort.  I am also getting headaches often and generally feel on edge.  I went back to my neurologist and he did a neurological exam on me (which was fine)but now he has ordered a CT scan of my brain and an MRI of my spine...could I have a tumor?  I also have one eye that constantly tears and I thought that this was due to my pregnancy but then it didn't go away after I had my baby.  My question is does any of this sound like anxiety?  I wasn't feeling anxious when all of this started up again after my baby was born so I fear the worst.  My pregnancy was generally fine and the birth was awesome - I don't feel depressed or overwhelmed by my baby.  Also, if I had a clean MRI of my brain a year ago, can a tumor grow in a year? Is a CT scan of my brain going to show a tumor or some abnormality or should I push for another MRI?? I can't seem to function and am so afraid of becoming ill when I have to look after my baby.  I feel like this is more than anxiety and that my body is out of control.  I constantly worry about the next time my head will jump or some strange thing will happen to my body.  Please give my any suggestions as to what could be happening to me. Thanks.

[Roger Gould, M.D.]

Fortunately, it sound much more like anxiety than anything else, and its a much better diagnosis than a brain tumor. YOur neurologist is being conservative and thorough, as he or she should be, so you will know soon.  If it turns out to be anxiety, be sure and get psychotherapy along with any medications, not medications alone...

[roumen]

it sounds like anxiety--I just want to repeat what a doctor said in a different forum--usually the somatic symptoms of anxiety appear INSTEAD OF the anxiety symtpoms.  
your concern about brain tumor is being addressed--your doctor is ordering the results, but your anxiety makes you expect the worst case scenario.  the likelihood of you having a tumor is not high at all, but test yourself, so that you will not be in speculation land, where anxiety thrives.  in life, however, we can not test every small concern we have, and we need to learn to live by expecting good outcomes as well.

[roumen]

our bodies do become "out of control" when we experience anxiety--"fight or flight" responses activate, and the balance between sympathetic and parasympathetic branches of the autonomous nervous system is violated.  it takes great efforts to stop that pendulum from swinging to the extremes and we have to win the "propaganda war"--we need to be aware of the messages that emanate from our brain, the thoughts and concerns that occupy us and are communicated to every system and cell in our body.  we need to have supportive people around us who will respect our concerns, understand our pains, provide us with "reality checks" without minimizing and dismissing our pain.  everyone needs a reality check sometimes.

[Preston]

Thanks for the comments - it hopefully is only anxiety.  However, can anyone answer these questions for me?  Can a brain tumor grow in just one year?  Also, will a CAT scan tell me if I have a tumor?  I have been having such weird sensations in my head - its like my brain is jumping and then there is tingling down my spine.  Please let me know if anyone has any suggestions.  Could it be a sort of headache???  I am awaiting my scan results and terrified.

[fightorflight]

Preston. I agree with the others that it is unlikely you have a brain tumor but of course it is good to get it checked out. it is most likely anxiety. i had an mri myself and it was negative. i had cog disfunction every week or so. i think it is from being on ativan so long, several years. as others my comment, anx can bring out a range of strange and seemingly unique symptoms to one person, there is likley someone else out there with very similar symptoms. try not to feel like the lone ranger.

[KittyMeghanLeah2]

are you no longer taking zoloft? there are "withdrawl symtoms" and if you really feel concerned then counsult with your primary pysician so he/she can refer you to the appropriate doctor and be sure to mention you were taking zoloft and try to rule out the "withdrawls" as being a factor.  Brain tumor growing that fast, I have no idea.  I had a friend who had breast cancer and she had surgery chemo radiation.. did not help.. then finally she started to get dizzy and faint at work.  Those events led to discovery of a "brain tumor" so I don't know.  What you are describing sounds a lot like the electrical zaps ppl experience with zoloft withdrawls.

[middlepathfollower]

I just stopped taking Effexor about 2 weeks ago after 6 months of use. I decreased my dose slowly over 2 weeks before completely stopping. At first my body reacted to the corresponding decrease in seritonin by giving me adrenaline rushes during the day, I would like conk out when I'd come home from work and sleep until the next morning, then things started to stablize. Lately I feel kind of anxious, but mostly because I am going back to school after taking a semester off and am moving into a new place. My suggestion to you is that when you feel anxious or hyper turn inwards and really ask yourself why you feel hyper, and see if it is because of the chemicals or something you really feel- in which case you can work it out through self-analysis, meditation, writing, talking to a close friend, etc. I know a lot of my anxiety was brought on because of my over active mind and my lack of self-control. I have started studying Buddhism, Karate, and Yoga and they have inhanced my concentration and determination to beat this stuff without meds. Your problem is certainly different from mine, but I can say from experience that living in the moment and getting busy with mental, spiritual, and physical exercise combined definitely helps. Good luck to you.

P.S. I also experienced the sort of "brain jumping" you describe where it feels like you just sort of get throw the to other side of the room, like your balance goes completely off. I had it happen to me once when walking and I ended up almost falling over and walking sideways, and once when I was driving and that definitely was not cool. This hasn't happened in awhile though. Anyone have any other comments about this sort of thing?

[cromeo]

I was diagnosed with anxiety about three weeks ago.  I started with my mind racing out of control.  All I thought about was that something was wrong with me.  My dad was just told he only has a year  or so to live ,he has reoccuring skin cancer.  So the first thing in my mind was ,that I would have it too.  I started having panick attacks ,and had no clue what was going on.  My doctor prescribed to be Xanax.  I started taking them ,but they were only lasted so long and than it would come back.   I than waited a week ,and tryed fighting it ,but it just got worse.  I met with a therapist who told me my mind was in over drive ,and medicine he thought would probably be the best thing.  I gave in and started taking it.  Three days later I started getting twitches all thru my body.  I went in panic mode right away. I went back to the doctors ,and they said just give it some time.  I went 5 more days till I started getting tingling in my face,arm & leg.  I immmediatly went to the Er ,and they told me it sounded like a pinch nerve.  I contacted my doctors office to let them know ,and they told me I had to be seen by them.  He said it sounded like a reaction to zoloft and to stop taking it.  I have been off of it for four days now ,and I still have the twitches and the tingling.  I am so nervous that I have something else wrong with me.  I can not just let it go.  It sooooooo   scary.....  My family thinks I am crazy!!!  I am scared I have MS  or something
else.  Are these truely anxiety symptoms ,and when will they go away?  I have a neurologist appt. on tuesday but I need some advice.

[rachele]

hey cromeo
the symptons you have are symptons of anxiety i have had it 3 months now and feel all sorts of things, to begin with i suffered pressure in my head which was diagnosed as tension headaches i then felt as if my chest was tight then a few days later i started feeling a rushing all over my body and tightness in my neck, and pains in my left arm, then i felt vibrations and now I have the tingling sensations all over my body also so you see how anxiety can cause your whole body to react to how you are feeling. My family also dont have time to listen to me because they have been with me on so many trips to the docs and to the hospital and each time ive been fine but its very hard for people who dont suffer from anxiety to understand how we are feeling. just keep hangin in there with time you will be able to find coping techniques and you wont feel so out of control, i am coping much better and some days will be better then others but im sure if i keep working at it and dont give into it, it will dissapear all together :)

[ladyv]

i just wanted to say that reading this thread has been very helpful to me thus far. all of you guys' comments help validate the fact that these kinds of real, physical symptoms are a part of anxiety - they are not just in our heads! i am somewhat new to this - with weird physical symptoms hitting me like a ton of bricks 3 months ago. I do not really feel any emotional anxiety - except as a result of being freaked out by weird symptoms. I am getting better at controlling those reactions however, by educating myself on what's really happening to my body. my main symptoms are constant out-of-my-body sensations and light headedness with some dizziness. also weird sensations that move throughout my head, face and jaw (along with some minor jaw clicking) also intermittent numbness and tingling in my temples and fingers. The whole thing is just so freaking annoying and I just want it to go away. The neuro told me it is 100 percent hands down anxiety - she didn't even want to waste time with an mri - altho i think i will get one just to be safe. have had several blood tests as well - all are normal. rachele, cromeo,preston - anyone tried acupuncture or other alternative methods? i am very very hesitant to try traditional meds for this, unless of course there is no other recourse. i just want to go back to feeling normal again! best of luck to all of you - i know with preserverence we can beat this stuff!

[coffie]

I was told i have cronic anxiety.I have tingling all over my face i have been takeing atavan and serqule. Iam still haveing the problems.I have had a cat scan on my brain and it came back normal.So for all of you that have this your not alone.My body aches all over my face tingles and my left foot feels numb.So please if someone out there has this same problem please let me know.You can call me just let me know if you want to talk.Thank You,Amanda